A Step Too Far
by Bridget Stone
Summary: Shock and panic consumes the BAU when one of their own goes missing. The unsub leaves no footprints or paper trail. Can the BAU get the profile and nab their unsub before they loose one of their own?
1. The Package

Aaron Hotchner opened his eyes to a view of his bedroom ceiling, and the sound of his alarm ringing in his ear. He turned the beeping off before it could wake his son in the next room. Then he remembered that his son no longer lived with him.

His apartment was empty of all other people. Foyet had killed his wife, and he sent his son to live with his aunt. Hotch was alone.

Something in him still made him get up every morning, and get dressed, and leave his cave. His team. They were practically the only family Hotch had left. He sighed and grabed his keys, and left his apartment.

When he opened the door he stumbled into a package that was left on his door mat. He picked it up and closed his door, locked it, and proceeded to his car.

When he arrived at the BAU office he took his briefcase and the package inside. He walked into the meeting room where the team was gathered, talking amongst them selves.

"Morning everyone" Hotch said to his team as he walked in and placed his stuff on the table.

"Mornin"' they answered back and continued talking to one an other. JJ and Prentiss were talking lightly over mugs of steaming coffee, Rossi was looking through a file, and Morgan was talking to Garcia, and Hotch did not have the heart to ask her what exactly was in her hair today.

Hotch turned his attention to the package and pulling a small pocket knife from his coat he cut through the tape. He pulled back the flaps and looked into the box. He reached in and what he pulled out was a blue sweater vest. It was wadded up and when he transferred it to his right hand, his left was stained with blood.

"Guy's" Hotch said, his brow knit together, panic building in his blood. They continued talking. "Guy's" he said with more force. They looked up at him, as he held the sweater vest out, "Have any of you seen Reid today?"

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><p><strong>This is just a teaser! Full length chapter on the way soon!<strong>


	2. Not Far

Garcia ghasped and covered her mouth with her hand, the entire room was still and silent. Morgan shook as he took the sweater vest from Hotch.

"Garcia", he ordered.

"Yes," she said in a soft squeky voice.

"I want a DNA test on the blood, and the box and note dusted for prints".

"Note sir?" Hotch crossed the room quickly to the cabinet and pulled out a blue latex glove. Once it was snug on his hand he reached into the box and pulled out a piece of paper.

He began to read out loud, "Catch me if you can. I'm a step ahead" he paused and turned the letter towards his team, "Typed".

"Garcia-"

"I'm on it"

"No answer on Reid's home or cell," Morgan said shaking his head as he put his phone back in his pocket.

"JJ you stay and help Garcia, everyone else we're going to Reid's"

They wasted no time and were in the suburban's within two minutes headed to their friends house.

The short drive seemed to take hours, and it took a toll on heavy and anxious hearts. Morgan tapped nervously on the back of Hotch's seat, and Hotch didn't have the heart to tell him to stop, because inside he was feeling the exact same way.

A shrill ring from Morgan's phone startled the group, he snatched it from his pocket and answered on speaker phone.

"Talk to me baby girl and tell me you got good news"

"Good and bad hot stuff."

"Lay it on me"

"Ok the package was shipped regular USPS to Hotch, but no return address, Good news, It was shipped in Virginia, Winchester to be exact, a little less than two hours from here. I was able to lift prints off of the box but none off the note, two guy's and I already sent you the names. Bad news, one is a postal carrier with no criminal background, and the other works the desk at the post office, his background is nothing but an arrest for possestion of weed when he was 14. But there were fibers on the box suggesting our unsub used gloves or carried it in a bag of some sort".

"You're amazing sunshine"

"Thanks, but there's more Bad" the phone went quiet, "The blood is Reid's".

Silent, heavy seconds passed before anyone spoke. "Don't worry baby girl, keep up the good work"

Garcia replied in a small voice, "k".

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><p><strong>~I plan on updating this VERY regularly so stay tuned :) <strong>


	3. A Father

**~ Happy Reading :) **

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><p>The trucks pulled in to Reid's apartment and everyone was out of them in an instant.<p>

Morgan's heart jumped a little when he saw his friend's car parked under the carport. Derek hoped that he would walk into Reid's apartment and find that his friend had slept through his Monday alarm and was rushing to get to the BAU. But he knew he couldn't argue with DNA.

The team ran over to Reid's apartment and stood outside the door. It was open, just an inch. Emily had her hand on her gun, her mind racing through every scenario that could be playing out inside. She looked back at her team behind her. They too had their hands on their gun's. Although she could not see what they were thinking, she knew that like her, the only wanted Reid to be alive.

Drawing her gun she kicked open the door and swarmed the apartment with her team behind her. Each person spread out checking each of the rooms. One after the other they sounded "Clear".

"Gu-" Morgan's voice failed him. He cleared his throat and started again, "Guys". They came over and saw the reason of his upset. Reid's bed. The Bed was made, and it was covered in dried blood.

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><p>JJ paced in the meeting room at the BAU, literally afraid that if she stopped moving she'd stop thinking. All her mind kept saying was, 'Reid could have solved this by now'. There wasn't much to work with in the small typed note. But the ever present thought in her head was "If I don't solve this Reid will die", though her subconscious couldn't help but bring up the fact that there's no proof that he is alive.<p>

A male with Narcissistic Personality disorder; obviously. 'Catch me if you can, I'm a step ahead'. Without a motive, it's hard to tell whether the unsub is sociopath or antisocial personality. He obviously wanted us to know what was going on, and—

The phone interrupted JJ's thoughts. She looked at the caller ID. Restricted. She ran to Garcia's office.

"Garcia we're getting a call from a restricted number, I'm going to answer, please record it".

"On it baby" she said tapping a few key's ,"aaannnddd you're live"

JJ picked up the phone, "FBI, This is special agent Jareau,"

"JJ" the faint strained voice could barely be heard.

"Reid?" Garcia jumped and looked at JJ, un able to hear what was going on, her eyes a mix of worry, confusion and hope. "Reid talk to me!"

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><p>"It's dried", Prentiss said looking at the brownish red sheets.<p>

"Of course," Morgan said. "The unsub had to have time to get Hotch the vest via express mail, 2 day shipping, attacked Friday night, mailed the package, package shows up Monday. No Reid".

"So how did he do it?" Rossi asked.

Morgan walked over to the door, and replied, "Ok, I'm the unsub, and I know Reid's at work. I've been watching him, I know his lock is easy to pick. I wait for a weekend to give my self enough time. Friday afternoon I pick Reid's lock and get inside, and lock myself in. I hide behind here," he said pointing at a dividing wall. "Reid comes home, sits on his bed, I attack".

"We still need a motive, how he got away, we need more," Hotch shook his head and pulled his phone out, Morgan call Garcia update her, I'll get a CSI team here, and the rest of you interview the neighbors, make sure they tell you about any thing suspicious at all".

"We still need to know how they know where Reid, and Hotch live," Prentiss, caught Hotch's arm, "This guy might know where all of us live".

"Yeah and if he walks through my door he won't live to get out," Hotchner saw the fury building up in Morgan's chest as he spoke those words.

"Reid needs us," Hotch told his team, staring each one in the eye, his brain a mix of every emotion his brain could produce, afraid tears could pour from his eyes at any given moment. "We need to focus on this, get every scrap of evidence, and get to Reid before something happens." He drew several heavy breaths, "Unless something already has".

They scattered.

Aaron Hotchner looked at the scene around him. His family was in danger, this was no time for tears. They need some one strong. They need a father.

"This is special agent Aaron Hotchner with the FBI, I need a CSI team, Now".


	4. Enter

**~ Happy Reading! Please review, your comments make the story better!**

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><p>"Go on genius, talk to your friend", JJ heard a small, soothing, quiet male voice on the other side of the phone. The mockery, and sheer suave of the voice gave her chills.<p>

Garcia suddenly remembered her headphones and put them on to listen to the conversation. JJ put her finger to her lips to ask her to be quiet. Penelope nodded.

"Talk to her," the voice said. JJ and Garcia listened intently. There were gagging, choking noises coming over the phone. "Oh you can't?'

Garcia and JJ both had their eyes wide open, mouths agape in utter horror.

Disgusted, JJ forced herself to speak. Each word slow and forced, "What do you want!"

"Is it ever that easy love?"

Reid spoke again, in words that JJ couldn't make out. Then the two women jumped as they heard him cry out in pain.

"Shut up you son of a bitch!" he spat at Reid, JJ heard a blow of impact, and again Reid screamed in agony.

Garcia took her headphones off, her face covered in tears.

"If I told you what I wanted, I wouldn't get to spend time with your friend Spencer. And Spencer and I are getting to be great friends. Aren't we," He chuckled, "Spencer?"

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><p>"What did you find?" Hotch was looking at Prentiss and Morgan, as the CSI team swarmed around like bees.<p>

"Neighbors saw nothing out of the ordinary, not a different car, a strange man, no one even heard a cry for help"

"I can't get a hold of Garcia, the line's busy" Morgan looked lost, distraught, then again so did every member of Hotch's team.

"We have all that we can get from here, lets go back to the BAU and regroup". Their faces were hurt, but they followed Hotch and left to the BAU.

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><p>Derek Morgan walked through the halls of the BAU trailed by the rest of the team, when he saw his teammate walking to ward him. He was about to call her name, when he saw her face. She was in hysterics and her face was covered in tears. "JJ?"<p>

He jogged forward and grabbed her shoulders. "JJ what's wrong?" He demanded looking deep into her eyes.

Still hysterical JJ could hardly get an audible word out. "The unsub," she paused and took shaky shallow breaths, "He called. Garcia and I recorded it. He has- he was -." She looked into his eyes in utter despair, "-Reid".

Hotch, Rossi, and Morgan immediately started for Garcia's office.

"No!" JJ yelled, and snatched on to Morgan's chest. "You don't want to hear that".

Morgan again looked at his co worker, never before had he ever seen her like this, then again, never before had they faced something of this magnitude before.

He whispered gently to her, "We have to". He handed her to Prentiss who took her friend into her arms as she shuddered. The three men raced towards Garcia's office, Derek threw open the door.

"Penelope-"

She too was crying, wiping tears away as to avoid them blurring her view of the computer screen.

She was mumbling out loud, Derek couldn't tell if it was to them or herself. 'Cant trace, can't track, Reid, can't find him".

"Baby girl", Derek grabbed her hands off the keyboard, "Baby girl we need to hear the call".

She shook her head frantically, her eyes wide with panic, fear, and sadness. "No. No I can't don't make me-"

"Baby girl, you don't have to listen to it ok? Go out with JJ and Emily all right? But we need to hear it ok?"

She nodded, then tapped a few keys, and got up. "Push Enter to play".

"Thank you Garcia" Hotch said looking into her eyes as she walked away from her desk. She left the room as quickly as she could, closing the door behind her.

The men looked at each other for a few seconds, each petrified at what the recording might hold. They all knew that time was of the essence, but their fear of the unknown was strong. Finally Hotch nodded at Rossi, who then nodded at Morgan.

Derek Morgan took a deep breath, nodded at the two of them –

And pushed Enter.


	5. Click

**~ Happy Reading :) I'd love more reviews please!**

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><p>Derek Morgan pushed Enter. The following is what he, Aaron Hotchner, and David Rossi heard.<p>

"FBI, This is special agent Jareau,"

"JJ".

"Reid?…Reid talk to me!"

An unfamiliar voice spoke next, "Go on genius, talk to your friend"

Morgan heard the sound of his friend being strangled, and shut his eyes, and shook his head.

"Talk to her,"

The choking and gagging continued.

"Oh you can't?'

Then JJ spoke again. "What do you want!"

"Is it ever that easy love?"

Reid's voice was heard, but his words were not.

"Shut up you son of a bitch!"

Derek heard a sickening sound of something metal hitting a human. Spencer Reid cried out.

"If I told you what I wanted, I wouldn't get to spend time with your friend Spencer. And Spencer and I are getting to be great friends. Aren't we, Spencer?"

Again Morgan again heard the airway in his friend's throat close.

"Tell JJ here, that you and I are good friends Dr. Reid"

Morgan heard a gun cock. And then Spencer spoke, in a breathless, hopeless voice.

"Do it".

"Do what Dr. Reid?"

Spencer's voice was now crying, shaking, and smaller than ever before.

"Kill me. Please". He sobbed softly, his next words almost inaudible. "Please".

The gun fired.

One.

Single.

Shot.

All of time passed so slow that gravity itself seemed to stop working. The recorded JJ screamed Reids's name.

Derek found himself, falling forward clutching onto the desk in front of him. Hotch's hand grabbed his shoulder, and Rossi dropped his head into his hands. All of this happened in a millisecond that seemed to last a century.

But what they hear is not silence, but a shrill cry of pain, and continual outbursts of agony.

"You can beg all you want Dr. Reid, but I need you alive".

He's alive. Not well, but still breathing.

"Do you know what this is, Dr. Reid?"

Reid was still groaning in agony.

"It's a brand, they use it on filthy disgusting animals like cows. But I," the unsub said, "like to use it on filthy animals like the FBI".

"No, no please no." Reid pleaded with the unsub in breathless sobs. "Please don't".

Reid screamed.

Long.

Derek had never heard such an awful sound come from any living thing.

JJ screamed Reid's name again.

The unsub, was, laughing.

And Reid, screamed.

Derek closed his eyes, but only found that it was worse. For with his eyes closed his mind painted the picture of his screaming friend on his eyelids. Hearing the torture is by far the worst, because the gruesome imagination of ones mind paints the sickening scene far beyond what the mind is able to control, and at night that is all wee see.

Opening his eyes, not willing even to blink again, Morgan saw Hotch stand up and slam his fist against the wall, then sink to his knees. Rossi squeezed his head with his hands, his horrified face staring at the computer.

Thirty seconds later; it stopped.

Reid let out a pain filled cry every time he exhaled.

"Don't worry agent Reid, it won't get infected, I know how to treat it". The unsub laughed again. "Now is there anything you'd like to tell agent Jaerau?"

"JJ?"

"Yes Reid I'm here". Her voice filled with tears, and horror.

Each word Reid spoke was quiet, and helpless. "Don't do it JJ, tell Hotch not to do it".

"Do what Reid".

"Try and save me." He let out a cry of pain again, "There's nothing you can do, nothing."

"No Reid listen to me, Reid?"

The unsub picked up the phone. "Good bye agent Jareau, oh and will you do something for me? Tell your little computer pig that I'm untraceable, I'm a step ahead". He laughed again, a chilling cackle that sent shivers even through Rossi. "Goodbye"

* Click *

Morgan got up and ran to the meeting room, Rossi sat, still staring at the computer. Hotch ran to the bathroom and braced himself against the sink, splashing water on his face waiting for the nausea to pass.

Morgan sank into a chair next to Garcia, his head and eyes downcast. Slammed his fist down on the table in a sudden rage of fury. The girls jumped, and watched the man as he lay his head down on the table, with his hands stiffly interlocked on the back of his head, elbows on the table. And in front of their eyes...

Derek Morgan... Cried.

Garcia rubbed his back, and cried herself. But he soon sat up again brushing the tears off.

Rossi walked in slowly and placed his hand on Morgan's shoulder as he sat down.

They sat.

In silence.

The only sound was soft quiet sobs, and their shaky breathing.

Their leader walked in and stood at the edge of the table.

"I understand, " Hotch said, "if you all wan to go home and regroup in the morning, after..." he stopped. "After that".

"No man," Moran shook his head, "We can't waste time like that, Reid needs us, Now".

They all looked up and nodded at Hotch.

"All right" He nodded back. "Garcia, search every doctor that has had their license revoked here in Virginia, and also Med students that have been forced to drop out. Look for anything in those cases having to do with the FBI."

"Sir?"

"He told Reid that he knew how to fix his wounds, implying a med background. He's also furious about the FBI for some reason' we need to know why".

"Why not a Veterinarian?" Morgan asked.

"He called animals Filthy and disgusting, that guy doesn't become a vet just to piss the FBI off".

"And the rest of us?" Emily asked.

"Prentiss you go with Garcia to help any way you can, the rest of us will keep trying to get a profile out, and look over what the CSI team found. Work fast"

They all nodded.

As Garcia left the room, Morgan gently grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Baby girl I want you to listen to me. That filthy rat is wrong. You are not a pig, and you can find him anywhere, he is NOT untraceable. Reid needs you baby girl, ok?"

She nodded, but Morgan couldn't read the emotion in her eyes. He pulled her into a hug, "ok" he released her and she went off with Emily.

Hotch spread every picture, every evidence envelope, every file, and every scrap of paper on the table.

He was not going to fail at saving his family again.


	6. Close, But no Cigar

**~Thanks for being so patient! I am so sorry this is SO LATE! Happy Reading!**

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><p>Reid opened his eyes and looked up into a unshielded florescent light bulb hanging from a dirty brown concrete ceiling. He could tell that the brown stains in this room weren't always brown, but red. They were smeared splattered, and dripping down the walls. Blood, there for long enough to encrust itself and all its nightmares on the walls confining him.<p>

He tried to scratch his head, but his wrist was tied down. he looked again at the ceiling and saw that there was a mirror above him. His shirt was gone, he was strapped to a table. Leather tied down his ankles, knees, waist, chest, elbows, wrists and head.

Bruises, and abscesses covered his torso. There was a steady drip of blood coming from the bullet hole, in his hip. If he moved the strap would rub it, causing him a great deal of pain. Pink scar tissue, inflamed bubbling, oozing and pussing, outlined the brand on the left side of his collar bone, just below where his neck meets his torso. It was a j. A big capitol J.

Reid couldn't keep his eyes open. It took more energy to keep his eyes open than he had in his body.

He closed his eyes.

The door opened. But his eyes stayed closed.

"Hello Spencer", the door shut. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I've got to work my regular shift you know"

Reid didn't respond, couldn't respond.

"I think it's time we called your friend Agent Jareau. She'll be awfully worried".

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><p>"This guy is confident," Morgan said "bold enough to attack Reid in his own home, and to call JJ, if this guy was stalking Reid, he wasn't hiding, he was in the open. He might have talked to people, might have talked to Reid even."<p>

JJ jumped as the phone rang. She looked at the caller ID. "It's him"

They rushed to Garcia's office. "Garcia," Prentiss started, " he's calling again".

"On it" Garcia wildly patted keys and clicked. "Go".

JJ picked up the phone and took a deep breath before answering. "FBI behavioral analysis unit this is Agent Jareau"

"JJ right? They call you JJ? At least, that's what Spencer here says. Right Spencer?"

"JJ"

Her heart fell at the sound of his voice, "Spence"

"Regular shift. J. Regular shift. J"

"What? Spence, what are you saying?" She frantically fought for his attention.

There was a sound like a sharp intake of breath, and a cry of pain being muffled. The un sub screamed insults at Reid, and hit him continuously.

"I'm sorry agent," Chills ran down JJ's back as the un sub spoke again. " they get delusional, and they can't stay awake for long when they've lost that much blood. Maybe you can talk to him tomorrow. Good bye".

*click*

"Damn it!" Morgan stood up, knocking his chair over.

"JJ" Hotch looked over at his team mate. "Tell them we're ready with the profile."

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><p>20 minutes later the team stood in front of most of Virginia's police force, and the FBI.<p>

Hotch began to speak," The subject we're looking for is a white male in his thirties. Extreme narcissistic alpha male. He works a job with a regular shift, same every day."

Morgan took over, "But he's unsatisfied with this job, he's convinced he deserves something better, and we believe the FBI has something to do with why he doesn't have a good job."

"Look for med school dropouts," Prentiss said, "or rejects. He'll be charming, clean, and well kept. He's not someone you would suspect. He won't inject himself into the investigation, he thinks he knows everything he won't be looking into what we know."

"Let's hope we can nab this guy before more harm can come to agent Reid." Hotch looked out at his audience, "thank you".

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><p><strong>~Reviews always apreciated, good or bad :) Thanks lots! Love, Bridget!<strong>


	7. Something

~Sorry this is so long comming! Happy reading!

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><p>Aaron and Derek sat in the meeting room sifting through countless files and papers, looking for anything that might help them determine where their friend was. Morgan sighed and threw down a file; his heavy head fell into his hands.<p>

"Does it always have to be Reid?" He asked, rubbing his tired eyes, and looking over at Hotch, who in turn sighed and shook his head.

"I can't find anything!" Morgan slammed his fist on the table. "Nothing! We are no closer to finding this guy! All we have is a profile!"

"That's a start isn't it," Hotch looked up from his paper.

"A start?" Morgan scoffed, "A start! Reid is out there somewhere, and he-"

"You think I don't know that! Hotch stared intensely at Morgan, his jaw was set. "You think I don't care!" Hotch stood and slammed his fist down, "how many times has Reid sat somewhere, when all we have is a start and pored over stacks of paper to find what we need. We are his only hope now, and a start is better than nothing." His tone quieted, "you give up on this, you give up on him." Seconds of silence passed. "Sit down".

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><p>Alone in a concrete cell, Reid sat shivering in the dimly lit, and stinking room. The light-bulb hanging from the corner of the room never moved, never swayed, it only hung there and hurt his eyes. He held himself, and shivered in the freezing room. Crude, but expertly crafted stitches held numerous wounds closed. Every once in a while he would start coughing, and wouldn't stop until he coughed up a clot of blood. Half of him wished Tobias was there, just so he could have the drugs that made everything easier.<p>

'They're looking for me right?' he thought. 'They'll find me, they have to'. He heard the familiar sound of the door opening upstairs, and footsteps headed down toward him.

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><p>JJ sat and Prentiss sat with Garcia monitoring phones and computer screens for tips and clues. Nothing seemed helpful at all, nothing seemed to be there. Hope dwindled, like a candle reaching the end of its wick. Garcia's typing kept a rhythmic beat that became the soundtrack of their day.<p>

"Garcia why can't we find anything?" Prentiss shook her head, the three women unable to comprehend why they couldn't find any information, on who had their friend.

"I don't know, I don't get it. We've narrowed the search tens of times, but nothing, not a single lead!"

"He's out there some where, so why can't we find him. How are there no matches!" JJ was frustrated, and exhausted.

"It doesn't make any sense" The room fell silent. The shrill sound of the phone broke the silence.

They jumped, and JJ's heart began to race. She looked down at the phone, and sighed, "It's Hotch".

Garcia picked up the phone, "Yes sir?"

"Do you have anything?"

"No sir, nothing". Her voice was small, and defeated.

"Keep looking"

"Of course sir. Always"

*click*

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><p>Rossi walked through Reid's apartment assisting the CSI team. Photos were taken, evidence collected. And David hoped that it would accomplish something. The team was a good one. They left no rock unturned. But there wasn't always something under every rock.<p>

No print's on the door, no weapon left behind. No clues at all.

All that was rolling through David Rossi's head were the words, nothing, we have nothing, zip, nada, goose egg, zilch, zero, nothing.

All he wanted was something, anything. All he wanted was Reid.

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><p>The pile of papers to go through shortened, as Hotch and Morgan continued to search. But the pile of possible leads stayed the same. None. Exhaustion and hopelessness brought on a sort of temporary dyslexia for Morgan. Words blurred together, and letters changed places. He got frustrated easily, but he only thought of Reid and cleared his head. Hotch's composure did not change, but Morgan knew behind that brick wall, Hotch was suffering. This was the sort of thing that Hotch just couldn't go through any more. This was what Hotch had been though too many times already.<p>

So Morgan kept working, partly for Reid, and partly for Hotch. Like he had to save two friends instead of one.

Aaron set his paper down and took a sip of water. His throat was dry, and his eyes even more. Sleep was what he and his crew needed, but was exactly what they couldn't afford.

Soon they heard the sound of heel's walking through the silent BAU hallways. Morgan looked up as Garcia burst through the door way.

"Sir, I've got something".

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><p>Hope you liked it, reviews always welcomed! Thank's ! Love, Bridget!<p> 


	8. North Kelly Drive

**~Hey! Isn't it great when I get some free time to write! Happy Reading!**

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><p>They all rushed to Garcia's side and looked at the folder in her hands.<p>

"I can't believe I'm so stupid. He's in the witness protection program that's why I couldn't find him" Garcia ushered them all over to the meeting table where she commenced to spreading the file out.

"Witness protection program?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah, for some murder he claims to have seen". She spread all the papers out on the table. "Marcus Johannes, mail carrier ".

"That explains what Reid said on the phone," JJ said as she scanned a paper from the file. "Regular shift, J".

"Not only that," Prentiss pointed at the paper, "he's got a PhD in medicine. Had a private practice with his dad until the FBI shut it down after an investigation into his father's mysterious death".

"Please tell me you have an address Garcia "Hotch said staring at her overall a paper clutched in his hand.

"4621 North Kelly drive" The words rolled off her lips and the team began to move.

"Good work," Hotch nodded at Garcia. To the rest of the team he said, "Gear up, we leave in 5"

They all began moving at once, frantically moving around in an organized chaos.

"Sir," Garcia grabbed Hotch's sleeve, "I want to go".

"Garcia I can't have yo-"

"Please sir, I'll stay in the car, I'll bring my lap top. I just want to be there" she pleaded.

He sighed, knowing inside that Reid was as much as a son to her as he was to Hotch. "Very well, but you are to do exactly what I tell you"

"I promise, thank you sir"

"And Garcia,"

"Yes sir?"

"You're not stupid"

He walked away as she thanked him, and she rushed to get her things together.

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><p>Rossi was talking with the head of the CSI team when his cell phone rang.<p>

"I'm sorry I have to take this" he nodded at the man who nodded back in understanding and went back to assist his team. "This is Rossi" several seconds passed with the speaker of the phone pressed to his ear. "I'm on my way."

On the way to his car Rossi mumbled to himself, "Something, we got something"

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><p>"Dave will meet us there", Hotch snapped his phone shut and set it on the suburban's console.<p>

"How far away is there?" Garcia asked placing her had on the shoulder of the driver's seat.

"Two hours normal drive" Hotch said as he merged onto the freeway. "But we have these". He turned on the lights and sirens and punched the gas.

The two SUV's moved swiftly through traffic, Hotch Garcia and JJ in one, Morgan and Prentiss in the other.

Morgan kept thinking that it was a good thing that the other cars were getting out of his way, cause he was too damn angry to get out of there way.

"Sometimes I think this is the worst part," Prentiss shifted in her seat. "Knowing where he is, but having to wait to get there." She was fidgeting and playing with her fingernails. "What if the unsub finds out we're coming? What's he going to do to Reid?"

She turned to her friend whose eyebrows were knit together. He glanced at her, then back to the road.

"Come on Emily, you should know this by now. This guy's confident he thinks he's ahead of us he thinks he's stronger. He won't do any more to Reid than he already has"

She looked down at her watch, "I know, I-I just keep thinking of every single thing that can go wrong".

Morgan felt bad for snapping at her, it was hard for him to control it. He was just as worried as she was, he just showed it differently. "I know," he said softly. He reached over and placed his hand on her shoulder, their eyes connected for a moment, "We'll get him".

She nodded, and a small smile spread across her face. Morgan turned his attention back to the road, again thankful that all the cars were out of his way, as it allowed him to avoid what could have been several high speed crashes.

After what seemed a painfully long drive, the two suburban's silenced there lights and sirens as they pulled within a block of Kelly Drive.

Their Kevlar vests already on, their gun's in hand, and accompanied by two local patrol cars, they converged on 4621 North Kelly Drive.

The unassuming tan house was tucked between two others, separated by a small lawn and large trees. The whole place was wooded, and would have been beautiful, not considering the circumstances.

Garcia watched from the back seat, clutching a two way radio in her hand. The team and the police men silently surrounded the house. Half at the front door, half went to the back.

A USPS mail van was parked on the street, and there were several lights on in the house. Garcia heard the silent ambulance pull up behind them. It parked two houses down, under directions from Hotch.

Standing at the front door Morgan looked back at the team. He made eye contact with all of them, and each one gave a nod.

"Go" whispered Hotch.

Morgan stood up straight, gritted his teeth and kicked the door in.

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><p>~<strong>What can I say. I'm evil. I love cliffhangers :) And I love reviews too! Thanks for reading! Love, Bridget<strong>


	9. Marcus

**~Wow you guy's really got me writing! :) Happy reading!**

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><p>A swarm of agents invaded the home. Each with their guns pointed and their eyes focused.<p>

The house was roomy inside. The decor was older, something out of an old wood cabin. Dark wood made the rooms warm and gave off a orange glow. It was very open, rooms were connected and joined together, making the house seem bigger than it really was.

They silently examined every part of the house. Unsure what to expect each had prepaid themselves for the worst.

Room by room they cleared the house.

"Clear " each one called out at they left a room.

Their hearts were pounding, ready for anything that came in their path.

Morgan was ready to shoot anything that moved.

Bathroom, clear, no Reid.

Kitchen, clear, no Reid.

No Reid

No Reid

No Reid.

Every room, upstairs, downstairs. No Reid.

How is he not here. Morgan thought. This is it, he gotta be here somewhere.

Desperation began to kick in. A horrible thought popped in JJ's head. The calls. They stopped. That must mean ... but she couldn't even think it. She continued walking down the hallway when she heard a noise. It was her own footstep, but it was different. She took a step back, it creaked. Step forward again, a longer and louder creak.

It's hollow, she thought looking down at her feet. Downon the Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring, she made out a rectangular seam.

She turned her mouth to the radio on her shoulder.

"Hallway ". One word sent the whole team downstairs. She stepped back, and with everyone's eyes on her, knelt down, and felt the floor until she found a small hole. She grabbed a hold of it with her finger, and while they all realized what she was doing, they aimed their guns at the entrance.

JJ lifted the trap door, and when the entrance was clear she descended down into the cellar below followed by the team behind her.

The hall was long and completely concrete. Dimly lit, dank and cold. The grey walls seemed to make everything black and white.

15 feet of hall stretched out in front of her and at the end, three rooms. One on the left, one on the right, and one straight ahead.

They were closed with dark ominous metal doors. They advanced on the end of the hall.

Jj noticed that there were fresh blood drag marks connecting the left room to the center. And dried bloody drag marks connecting all three rooms.

She swallowed the large lump forming in her throat and opened the right door.

She was hit by the instant stench. She fought her gag reflex as she examined the room. There was a metal operating table with leather straps, surrounded by all sorts of sick medical instruments.

Dried blood spatters covered the whole room. There was no one in the room, and she couldn't bear to look at it any more, she shut the door and turned around to see that Morgan had opened the left door. It was a room identical in size and shape to the other, but this one was completely empty.

Instead of the small spattered of blood on the wall, this one looked as if it had been painted in blood. Bare wall was visible in scarce places. Hand prints that smeared down wards. They all had a strong urge to vomit at the smell, but barely managed to hold it back.

They shut the door and focused on the center room.

Morgan opened the door to a much bigger room, still concrete like the others but lit by several light bulbs Lithuania the room. A crowbar and a baseball bat were in one corner, and there were different pools and trails of blood on the floor. They all swarmed in the room and surrounded the center.

Standing in the center of the room was a tall, medium built man with black hair that hung in his eyes. The man wore jeans and a black tee shirt, and his hands were bloody.

Kneeling on the floor at his side was Reid. Reid wasn't awake, his eyes were closed, his arms hung lifeless at his side. His shirt was gone, and JJ could count each rib. Although several of them were obviously broken, and he was bruised and bloodied almost beyond recognition.

Marcus was holding him up by his hair, and Reid's head was pointed at them, had Spencer's eyes been open he would have been looking Jj in the eye. But his mouth was ajar, and his nose obviously broken, as well as his left cheek bone.

Everyone had their gun trained on Marcus, who had his gun in Reid's ear.

* * *

><p>Garcia sat in the car nervously tapping her foot, drumming the seat and breathing heard as her heart raced. She wanted to be in there, she wanted to help. My baby Spencer, she kept thinking. Each second dragged longer and longer, and minutes were hours.<p>

She heard a car pull in behind her, it was a black suburban. Rossi jumped out vest in hand.

"Sir", she said rolling the window down.

"Garcia?" He walked toward her as he was struggling into his kevlar vest. "What's going on?"

"I wish I new sir, they're all inside."

He nodded as he fastened the last buckle on the vest. Unsure what to say he proceeded into the house.

* * *

><p>"You must be JJ" Marcus smiled at her, and cocked his head. "Pleasure to finally meet you".<p>

Jj couldn't bring words to her mouth.

"Marcus put the gin down " Hotch's voice remained firm and calm.

"You agents are so predictable " he scoffed. "How do you think I got Spencer here" he nudged Reid's head with the gun.

"You know even for a doctor, I'm not afraid of death," he shook the hair from his eyes.

"But this weak, pathetic excuse for an agent is", he looked at Jj and gave a sickening greasy smile. "They beg, and cry. Don't kill me please don't. I'll do any thing." He shook his head, "pathetic".

Jj became aware of a light constant drip sound. Drops of blood were falling from Spencer's nose to the floor. Pat, pat, pat, pat, pat.

The sound melded with her heart beat, and she tried to push it out of her mind.

"But, it looks like my fun is up" he sighed. His eyes went blank, and he raised his gun and pointed it at Jj.

BANG BANG BANG.

The sound was echoed in the room and each crack seemed to break an eardrum.

JJ jumped at the sound, and watched as Marcus slumped to the floor, two red dots in his chest, and one in between his brown eyes.

His gun clattered to the floor, and Reid, no longer held by the hair, fell sideways to the floor.

Everyone looked around for the person who fired the shots, and all eyes trained on Rossi as he walked in the room re holstering his weapon.

* * *

><p>Garcia jumped when she heard the three gunshots, and unable to control herself began to cry. Her chest hurt from not knowing what was going on.<p>

Seconds passed, taking hours untilled she heard Hotch's voice over the two way radio.

"MEDIC NOW!" Garcia watched as the three paramedics ran in the house with the gurney.

"Garcia" Hotch's voice came again, "you can get out of the car now, but stay out of the house ".

Garcia opened the door and steeped down onto the pavement and began to pace. Her heart was racing, her eyes were blurry, and she didn't know what to do with herself

In minutes the paramedics emerged from the house followed by the team. Penelope stopped pacing and watched as the medics ran with Reid on the gurney, yelling instructions to each other. Garcia inhaled sharply when she saw Reid's arm dangling off the stretcher, dripping blood, and lifeless.

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><p><strong>~Please review! I love to hear what you think! Good or bad:) Thanks! Love, Bridget! :)<strong>


	10. Nothing to do but wait

**~This is NOT the last chapter! So don't stop reading! This chapter time travels, but the line's mark it. Happy Reading**

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><p>Garcia wanted to shut her eyes, to pretend that none of this was happening. But her eyes wouldn't close. Her mouth was open and her hands were covering it. she wasn't sure if her legs could hold out any longer<p>

She saw Derek walking towards her with his eyes turned away, his face down cast.

"Come on," he said softly,"you don't need to see him like that". He began to lead her back over to the car's with his arm around her.

"He's gonna be ok? Right Derek?" Her voice was a frantic squeak. When he didn't reply she became even more frantic. "Please Derek! Please tell me he's going to be ok". the tone of her voice was enough to break Morgan's hear.

"I don't know baby girl. He's hurt real bad." He sighed. "I don't know". She couldn't stop from crying now. She just started crying and kept doing so as Morgan led her over to the passenger seat of his suburban. He opened the car door, but before he let her get in, he pulled her close and hugged her. Her body shook with her sobs, and Morgan tried his best to calm her down, but what she was going through now, what they all were going through now, was something that you cant just calm down from.

As she pulled away from his hug and climbed into the truck, she watched the ambulance take off down the road. Morgan closed her door and crossed around the front of the SUV and climbed into the drivers seat. The other suburban's were taking off after the Ambulance, and Derek followed them.

In each car there was silence. Nothing but shocked worried faces. Nothing but tears, and solemn breathing.

JJ couldn't control her shaking. She stared at her hands for a second, but kept focus on the Ambulance in front of her. She didn't take her eyes off of it. She watched the shadows of the paramedics through the back window. She broke her stair when they pulled into the Winchester Medical Center.

The team poured out of their cars as the paramedics unloaded Reid from the ambulance. He was covered in wires, and tubes and masks, and blood.

To the team, sounds were muted, time moved like molasses, as they watched, and followed their friend into the E.R.

JJ felt like all warmth had left her body. Like there was nothing in her except worry, and pain. Hotch couldn't bring his legs to let him sit, not while his team, no, his family needed him to be strong.

Derek sat next to Penelope, she was rocking back and forth, her hands folded in front of her mouth, she was sobbing silently. Derek was frozen, the only thing that moved was his chest to breath air, and his eyes to blink.

A twinge of guilt had come over Emily, as she thought about Reid sitting where she was. About the team crying and waiting for her like this. She thought about the pain she had pot Spencer through. And that only caused her more grief.

Rossi didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to do something, to help, but he was useless. He remembered the relief, the almost joy he felt when he ended Marcus's life. He felt awful in his pleasure of taking a man's life. But he only reminded himself, that it wasn't pleasure, but that he had saved a member of his team, hopefully two members of his team.

The team sat there in agony, as hours went by. Saying nothing, only praying.

The door opened ahead of them, as a Doctor walked toward them.

He looked at the team in front of him, then at his clipboard and asked, "Spencer Reid?".

* * *

><p>JJ opened her car door and stepped out into the rain. As per usual for a funeral she wore black, her blonde hair a bright light on a dark day. The sky was perpetually gray, it looked as though the sun had never touched this part of Virginia.<p>

She could see her breath, and the cold breeze chilled her bones.

Raindrops dodged her umbrella and splashed on her cheeks as she walked slowly through the cemetery.

There was a small group formed together, and JJ made her way towards them.

They talked together as they waited for the ceremony to begin. Voices were quiet and light, eyes were sorrowful and solemn.

When it came time for the ceremony to begin, JJ went to stand with her team.

Everyone's eyes were downcast and the talking was only soft whispers. She looked her team in the eye and they nodded as she passed, a wordless acknowledgement.

She stopped walking and stood next to Hotch and Reid.

"You hate to have to lay someone to rest," she whispered to Spencer, "but I'm just thankful that it's not you Spence".

She gave his hand a little squeeze. He didn't look good, but then anyone who had been through what he had wouldn't. He was still badly bruised, and nursing broken bones, he was slow walking, but at least he was alive.

* * *

><p>They all stood at the sound of his name. Wishing and praying that good news was to come. Garcia was holding fast to Derek's hand, and Prentiss had her hand on JJ's shoulder.<p>

The doctor cleared his throat.

"Your friend is a fighter. He's alive. He'll be fine". Garcia's kneed gave out and she slumped in the chair behind her crying in uncontrollable joy. Morgan laced his fingers behind his head, and looked up at the ceiling with his eyes closed.

Aaron and Rossi hugged each other, as did Jennifer and was sobbing now, so overjoyed knowing that her Spence was ok.

"It's going to be at least a week before he can go home", the Doctor continued. He won't be awake tonight, but you can go see him in a few minutes."

Hotch walked over to the Doctor and extended his hand. He shook the man's hand firmly with both hands. "Thank you." Hotch had nothing else to say. "Thank you."

The nurse came back to escort them to Spencer's room. They followed her talking quietly.

They all silenced as they entered his room. It was big enough for all of them, and they went in and surrounded Spencer's bed.

He looked so small. So fragile. So young.

His chest rose and fell. Spencer Reid was alive.

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><p><strong>~Reviews always appreciated ! Remember More chapters to come! Thanks! Love, Bridget <strong>


	11. Life Goes On

**~Guess what! I'm not dead! Sorry anout the wait, but here is the mutch anticipated last chapter. Reviews appreciated. Happy reading, Love Bridget. **

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><p>Reid became aware of his consciousness. He'd could feel a bed beneath him, blankets over him, and a warm clean smell. He also became aware, of beeping, and what had to be tape, holding needles in his arms. Hospital, he thought. He tried his best to remember what had happened in the past few days, and why he would be in a hospital. It didn't take long for the memories to flood back to him. Marcus, the kidnapping, the torture, his team.<br>He opened his eyes and quickly squeezed them shut again, the bright white lights were blinding. He blinked several times, and his eyes adjusted. He smiled as he scanned the room and saw that he was surrounded by his team.  
>"Don't you all have Jobs or something?" asked Reid.<br>This made the entire room breath out a collected sigh together, JJ started to cry, and Emily almost went weak in the knees, while Garcia hadn't stopped crying since they got there.  
>"You sure know how to fight pretty boy," Morgan said laughing and shaking his head.<p>

They released him a week later, with one crutch, and still plenty of bandages. The FBI wanted to move him to a new apartment, and all his things there as well, but Reid wanted to stay where he was.  
>Reid walked into the apartment, Morgan entered behind him, pulling his coat up around his neck.<br>"Man are you sure you want to stay here?" Morgan asked, making sure he looked his friend in he eye. "I mean, Reid you've been through hell, you don't have to prove anything man, they'll put you up no questions asked. If you don't want to stay here you just say it. "  
>"I'm alright." Reid said matter of factly and nodded at Morgan. "Thank You".<br>Morgan returned the nod, and walked out the door, Spencer locked it behind him. And went to his bed. He sat on the edge, kicked his shoes off and stared at his miss matched socks, not sure what to do next. He knew sleep wasn't going to come anytime soon, and needed a way to pass the time till morning. He had books, those always did him well. He stood and reaching his library, that consisted of two small bookshelf's, chose a book at random and went back to his bed.  
>He laid down, inhaling the familiar sent, and sighing into he blankets, opened the book and began to read. He had already read this particular book severs times, but the was true off the rest of the books in his library as well.<br>His mind soon became lost in the story, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep. Unfortunately sleeping meant dreaming, and not the good kind. Sleep caused nightmares, forcing Reid to relive every second of his time with Marcus.  
>From his demonic face as he laughed, as Spencer cried out in pain, the pleasure Spencer saw as Marcus connected the baseball bat with Reid's gut. Only the human imagination added even more. Marcus became a literal demon, pointed teeth dripping with Reid's blood, maniacal laughter, and deformed body. The reality of the past few weeks melded with Reid's own personal idea of hell.<br>He jolted awake, sweat dripping from every inch of him. His breath had escaped him and h say trying to catch it again. His whole body shook with tremors of terror.  
>Reid did everything in his power not to sleep. For he next few weeks he drank as much caffeine as he could manage, and never turned he lights off. Though he did slip off several times, for the most part he stayed sleep free. The nights grew into days, and Reid's health grew poor with the caffeine an lack of rest.<br>He remembered telling someone, that lack of sleep will kill you before lack of food and water does. He knew he needed to. But the nightmares scared him more than anything.  
>It had been 2 weeks since he returned from the hospital. He had sunk into a deep depression, and the sleepy bags under his eyes melted into his bruises. He was supposed to attend the funeral of a security guard from the bureau, who had been killed in a car accident. Reid remembered seeing he man every day entering and exiting the building. Kind, soft spoken, wife kids. He knew he had to go, or the whole team would freak out and break down his door looking for his body. But he knew he had to go, because it could have just as easily been him they were laying in the ground.<br>It was a dreary day, and Reid stood next to his team, his eyes and mind blank as he starred at the grass and listened to the rain on his umbrella.  
>He could tell the others were concerned about him. But he didn't want their words, sympathy or help.<br>He was aware of JJ walked towards him and stopping at his side. She took his hand, and squeezed slightly.  
>" You hate to have to lay someone to rest," she whispered to Spencer, "but I'm just thankful that it's not you Spence"<br>He nodded slightly and kept his head foreword, wishing the wether were warmer.  
>Later that night he sat on his bed. Too weak to move, but too strong to let himself sleep. He was tired of nightmares, tired of fear, tired of depression. He stood, and walked to the bathroom. Removing a tile from under the sink, he revealed his hidden compartment. With a small was of cash and a passport. But he was interested in the other items, the hypodermic needle and the bottles of Dilaudid.<br>He still hadn't had the gut to throw them out after the Tobias incident. Though he told the team otherwise. He set the bottle on the counter and prepped the needle. He wondered how much it would take to end it all. How much before his heart gave out. Maybe if he took it with sleeping pills or, the bottle of Tylenol. As long as he didn't wake up, he would be happy.  
>He stuck the needle in the bottle and drew a full syringe. With he needle in his right hand he extended his left fore arm and moved towards the vein in his elbow.<br>Soon, he thought, soon it will be all over.  
>He was about to push the needle in when he thought of JJ.<br>Her face in the hospital, her hand at the funeral, her voice on the phone when he was Marcus' prisoner. She hadn't given up on him. He thought of the work of his teammate how they only wanted to bring him back safe, how they had risked their life's, and all been there at the hospital.  
>He threw the needle down, and knocked the bottle off of the counter, his hands gripped the sink and he began to sob. How had he even thought of hurting them? Of ending it all and leaving them to find the pieces.<br>He knew he couldn't go back to work yet, but there was nothing stopping him from sitting in Garcia's office and driving her crazy all day. So that's what he did. He was back home, with the BAU, with his family. Moving on, one step at a time.  
>Robert Frost once said, "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."<p> 


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